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One effect of this new rule is that, given the shorter career span, and, therefore, a much more brutal "up or out" promotion system, younger ambitious officers who want to make general very fast will be more incentivized to try to stand out, to try new things and methods. I realize, of course, how audacious my proposal is. Almost as audacious as Napoleon.

Yeah - incentivized to get as political as possible as early as possible.

Aging - has always been a risk of an all volunteer army. While I do agree that today’s military is the best we have ever fielded, there’s a downside to it. The downside being that very few Americans have any skin in the game. This has led to an elitist mentality of a good part of our population who believes that the serving and fighting should be left for others. Personally, I’m for reactivating the draft, with so exemptions or deferments except for physical or mental problems. Yes, this means no national defense deferments for working for defense contractors, nor for being cops, teachers, peace corp, college, senate/congressional aides, etc. when ones number comes up one serves. We could use the additional bodies to militarize the border as one action. And, being this war on terror will be multigenerational, our military forces will require beefing up across the board. It’s all about skin - skin in the game, skin, skin, skin.........

“Yeah - incentivized to get as political as possible as early as possible.”

Yep. What hasn't the left tried to politicize? Let's see, get rid of those ‘older’ military officers who haven't been indoctrinated by the left - and replace them with young Wesley Clarks - who said just recently that he will be backing Hillary.

Beyond those aspects of this article, the whole concept of comparing the age of generals during a time of Napoleon to now is ridiculous.